Minnesota lobbyists spent $65.2M in 2011, report says

Businesses, unions, trade groups and gambling and stadium interests spent $65.2 million to influence the Minnesota Legislature and state agencies in 2011, state regulators said in a report released Monday, March 4.

That was 10 percent more than the $59.2 million that interest groups spent on lobbying in 2010, according to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.

Businesses were the biggest spenders, shelling out $17.4 million -- more than one-fourth of the total spent -- to influence state policymakers.

Health groups were the second-highest spenders at $7.8 million, followed by education interests at $5.3 million, environmental groups at $4.3 million and agricultural organizations at $3.8 million.

During the 2011 legislative session, interest groups waged campaigns to build a new Vikings stadium and expand gambling. Both efforts failed after gambling interests spent $2.2 million and pro- and anti-stadium organizations paid out $1.2 million on lobbying.

The Minnesota Vikings spent $385,000 on lobbying for the stadium a year before lawmakers approved the $975 million project in downtown Minneapolis. That placed the team fifth in spending by a single business or organization.

Xcel Energy spent the most on lobbying two years ago, $1.9 million. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce was second at $1.1 million, followed by the Coalition of Minnesota Businesses at $648,000 and the Minnesota AFL-CIO at $483,000.

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Labor unions spent a combined total of more than $1 million on lobbying that year.

Canterbury Park in Shakopee, which had long sought to allow casino-style gambling at horse tracks, spent $299,000 to lobby in 2011.

That figure was matched by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association that led the opposition to "racino" gambling. In addition, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians, which operates the Grand Casinos, paid $143,000 for lobbying activities.

The state's 1,496 registered lobbyists -- that's about 7-1/2 lobbyists per legislator -- reported spending $14.8 million trying to influence lawmakers and regulators, a figure that does not include their salaries and fees, which they are not required to disclose.

Lobbyists must disclose gifts worth $5 or more to government officials. Twenty lobbyists or groups reported giving $6,456 in gifts to 96 legislators, the governor, 39 local officials and 20 other public officials.

Most of the gifts were meals, often offered at events where the officials spoke. The other gifts were plaques.

Dayton received six meals and one plaque worth a total of $251 in 2011, according to the report.

Lobbyists and interest groups spent 83 percent of their money trying to influence legislators, 16 percent on state administrative agencies and 1 percent on metropolitan government agencies.

LOBBYING IN MINNESOTA

Amount spent on lobbying in Minnesota by year, according to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board: